The recent killing of George Floyd by now-fired policeman Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis has sparked intense national outrage leading to an eruption of protests across the world. Amid this civil unrest, celebrities have used their platforms to educate, raise awareness, and demand change.
Rappers like Nick Cannon, Lil Yachty, and Bun B have all traveled to the Midwestern city to join protesters fighting for change. Here’s what others had to say.
Beyoncé: In an Instagram post she said, “We need justice for George Floyd. We all witnessed his murder in broad daylight. We’re broken and we’re disgusted. We cannot normalize this pain. I’m not only speaking to people of color; if you’re white, black, brown or anything in-between, I’m sure you feel hopeless by the racism going on in America right now. No more senseless killing of human beings, no more seeing people of color as less than human. We can no longer look away. George is all of our family in humanity. He’s our family because he’s a fellow American…”
Jay-Z: “…Thank you to Governor Walz for doing what’s right and calling in Attorney General Keith Ellison to take over the George Floyd case… This is just a first step. I am more determined to fight for justice than any fight my would-be oppressors may have. I prevail on every politician, prosecutor and officer in the country to have the courage to do what is right. Have the courage to look at us as humans, dads, brothers, sisters and mothers in pain and look at yourselves.”
Cardi B: “Enough is enough! What will it take ? A civil war ? A new president? Violent riots ? It’s tired ! I’m tired ! The country is tired !You don’t put fear in people when you do this you just show how coward YOU ARE ! And how America is really not the land of the free !” she wrote.
Rihanna: Alongside a photo of George Floyd she wrote, “For the last few days, the magnitude of devastation, anger, sadness I’ve felt has been overwhelming to say the least! Watching my people get murdered and lynched day after day pushed me to a heavy place in my heart! To the point of staying away from socials, just to avoid hearing the blood curdling agony in George Floyd’s voice again, begging over and over for his life!!! The look of enticement, the pure joy and climax on the face of this bigot, murderer, thug, pig, bum, Derek Chauvin, haunts me!! I can’t shake this! I can’t get over an ambulance pulling up to an arrest, a paramedic checking a pulse without removing the very thing that’s hindering it! Is this that [ever] normal??? If intentional MURDER is the fit consequence for “drugs” or “resisting arrest”….then what’s the fit consequence for MURDER???!”
Travis Scott: “As I pace around, thinking, trying to find something to ease the pain…there are almost no words that I can think of to properly express, or I can use to suppress, this enraged feeling of us continuously losing our brothers and sisters to brutality at the hands of officers, or anyone with misguided intentions for our well-being. The rage that we are all feeling is from direct personal experience and the constant pain of wanting our voices to be heard. To be seen as equal and human, too. We have to change and reform police policy in our U.S. cities, and there needs to be accountability immediately…” Full statement here.
Jamie Foxx: “We cannot be silent anymore… I’ve been going to rally’s since Rodney King… when Treyvon Martin Happened… Being in Minnesota for George Floyd Felt like the straw on the camels back… we have to change policy when it comes to police brutality… We cannot let all of these black folk down….”
Janelle Monáe: “When will the majority of protests & outrage be led by white people & police officers everywhere? These are your people killing us. Why are OUR voices & outrage LOUDER THAN YOURS during these times? WE DIDN’T DO THIS. I’m tired of US HAVING TO DO THE WORK YOU SHOULD BE DOING,” she shared on Twitter.
Dr. Dre: “My heart is still aching. And it felt like that cop had his knee on all of our necks, meaning black men… It’s extremely painful because it keeps going on… What can happen to make this stop? It’s baffling, but it really feels like something is going to happen now, to at least put us in the area where we can start talking about a way to make this thing stop. I think this one could be the one because — because I’m seeing white people out there protesting as well… which is a good thing…”
Kelly Rowland: “You can not fight hate with hate, And I’m tired of being angry… I just don’t get it,” she said on Instagram, according to E! News.
Ciara: “My heart can’t take it, seeing what’s happened to #GeorgeFloyd. This is eerily similar to the death of #EricGarner. There has to be a stopping point in the process of arresting someone. It’s all senseless.”
By Danielle Long
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